Diamondbacks fans grew up this summer
Oct 13, 2011, 9:56 PM | Updated: 11:41 pm
Widely regarded as being some of the worst in the Major
Leagues, Arizona Diamondbacks fans really stepped up when
the games mattered most.
“We were very slow with ticket sales and this place was
half
empty most of the season,” Diamondbacks President Derrick
Hall told Arizona Sports 620’s Doug and Wolf. “But I
understood that. The two seasons that we gave the fans
before this one caused that, but at some point we figured
that the light would turn on and unfortunately it didn’t
happen until about September.
“But I was still really proud of the fans that came out
here.”
In all more than 2.1 million fans saw a game at Chase
Field
this season, but it was the crowds towards the end of the
season against the San Francisco Giants that left a
lasting
impression on Hall.
Arizona averaged more than 44,000 fans per game over the
three game series, with each game being won by the home
team.
“I looked at that last series against the Giants,” Hall
said, “there was no way we were going to lose a game
because of the fans that were here.”
Hall said he’d never felt the stadium shake like it did
when rookie Paul Goldschmidt hit what proved to be the NL
West-clinching triple until the first baseman’s grand slam
in Game 3 of the NLDS.
“I’m so proud of our fans,” Hall said. “In Games 3 and 4
we didn’t have to prompt them, it wasn’t ‘hey, get on your
feet, get noisy let’s hear you,’ they were doing it on
their own.”
Hall said it was special and he hopes it carries into next
year, and it would be a bit of an upset if it didn’t.
After all, the Diamondbacks are a young team who’s best
years appear to still be ahead of them, and if there’s one
thing Valley fans have proven it’s that they’ll flock
towards a winner.
